Pitch pipe



C. H. CONGDON.

FITCH PIPE.

APPLICATION msn APR. a, 1920.

1 ,437,747, v Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

ffy. /Z, cfm/nfs mmm/r. 3mm/cw @Hoving 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES CHARLES H. CONGDON, F EAST STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PITCH PIPE.

Application illed April 3, 1920. Serial No. 371,088.

To @ZZ whom it may concem.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CoNGDoN,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Stroudsburg, in thecounty of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Pitch Pipes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to pitch pipes and has for its object theproduction of a device of this class which shall be inexpensive to make,which shall have the twelve notes comprised in a chromatic scale soarranged relatively that the notes of the chords most commonly usedshallbe placed in such order that they can be conveniently played insuccession; in which inhalations and exhala tions may as far as possiblealternate in sounding in sequence the notes of the more commonly used'chords; and in which certain mechanical advantages shall be found, whichare pointed out ingreater detail in the following description.

The invention will 'be readily understood from the followingdescription, which is to be ready in connection with the accompanyingdrawing. In the latter, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are respectively top, frontand end views of my device, some portions being sectioned 30, in F 1g.2; Fig. 4 is a central, longitudinal,

sectional view of the device, some parts being omitted; Fig. 5 is a topview of Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of Fig. 4 on lines 6-6and 7 7 respectively, looking 35 in the direction indicated by thearrows; Fig. 8 is a top view 0f the lower reed plate; Fig. 9 is asectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 4; Figs. 10 11, and 12 are viewssimilar to Figs. 4, 2, and 3 respectively of a modification; while Fig.13 is a detail of this modification shown on an enlarged scale.

The base l can be made of an material desired, but is preferably made osome substance such as hard rubber which can be molded and thereafterhardens and becomes kimpervious to moist-ure and which is `not readilysubject to deterioration. It is seenl to be generally of theshape of arectangular block. The two fiat faces of the block are provided withcertain chambers, all of a depth a little less than half its thickness.The vchambers on the under side are thus separated from those on theupper'by a central wall or partition 2. There are seven such chambers oneach side of the block,

and those of one side lie directly opposite those of the other. Thechambers of .what is the upper side in Figs. 2 and 4 are given thereference numerals 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, While those on the lowerside lying directly below them are numbered respectively 3, 4*, 5, 6a,7a, 8, and 9. The central chambers 6 and 6a are closed on their foursides; the chambers 3, 3, .9, and 9a open to the end by means of thechannels 10, 10, l1, and 11* respectively; the chambers 4, 4, 7, and 7'*open toward one edge of the base; while the chambers 5, 5, 8, and 8aopen toward the other edge. 12 and 13 are holes through the base whosepurpose will appear later. The ends of the base l are seen to be roundedto the arc of a circle.

Secured by means to be presently described to the bottom and top of thebasey 1 are the two reed plates 14 and 15. They conform in outline tothe base, so that when they .are assembled with it their edges arealined with its edges. y

The reed plates bear six reeds each, designated in the drawing by theconventional characters of the musical notes they sound,

those of the upper plate being, from left to right, Bb, Ft, C11, C, Gand A; and those of the lowervplate Eb, Ab, E, F, B, and D. It will benoted that the reeds are in both cases on the upper side of the reedplate.

The reed plates are pierced by holes 13 in the same relative positionsas the holes 13 in base 1.

The two cover plates 16 and 18 (see Figs. 1 and 2) are provided withholes 17, through which air may enter or leave; and at the ends areformed the depressions 19 bringing the metal at these points into thesame plane with the edge of the cover plates. The holes 19 register withthe holes 13 and 13 of the base and the reed plates. ,A circulardepression 20 is made in the center of each cover plate 16 and 18, itsbottom being on a level with the depressions 19*.

In Fig. 4 will be noted the fact that the two reed plates are slightlysprung or curved. They are shown in this figure as they appear whenplaced in their positions relative to the base 1 but not yet secured toit; Both have their convex side toward the base l.

In Fig. 2fthe parts are shown assembled and it will be noted that thereed plates are brought into contact with the base l at their ends bymeans ot the rivets 21, which pass through the alined openings 19, 18,and 13. Contact at all points between the ends Vot the reed plates withthe base 1 is assured by the curvature given to the reed plates.

Each of the reeds is seen to lie above or below one ot the chambers 3 to9 or 3a to-Qa.

rlhe bottom ot each depression 2O bears on the corresponding reed plate.

At points adjacent to the openings leading to the chambers 3, 1l, etc.,and 3, il?, etc., there are marked on the cover plates the charactersdenoting the notes given by the corresponding` reeds. Figs. 1 and 2. From a perusal oi the above description it will be apparent that theparts malring up this pitch pipe are very readily assembled and securedtogether.

In use the pitch pipe is heldiby the thumb and toreinger ot one hand,their tips engag` ing the depressions 19 and 20 of the cover plates 16and 18. lThis permits the person using the instrument to twirl it so asto bring the required openings into convenient position 'for soundingthe notes. The arrangement described maires it possible to use theentire periphery of the pipe 'for openings and thusto reduce the entireinstrument to a very convenient length.

The covers cannot be crushed by the pressure exerted by the thumb andtoreiinger, as the bottoms ot the depressions 19 and 2O bear against thereed plates.

As an illustration ot the natural and easy sequence in which the notesol a usual chord occur, the F chord may be selected. The notes composingit-R C, ile-are `found, referring to their positions as illustrated inthe drawings, at the right ot the upper edge and at the'right end; andto sound them in their proper sequence the operator will first exhaleinto the upper right opening, then inhalefrom the right end opening, andthen inhale from the upper right opening. Thus it is seen how well these.1. 1e placed, and how easily the transition trom each to the Vnext iseii'ected. By trying other chords it will be found that tor those morecommonly used the arrangement ot the reeds andthe sequence otinhalations and enhalations are very convenient.

ln the variation illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 the reed plates aresprung in the oppoi site direction, so that their concave sides lace thebase plate. yl`he parts are secured together by a single deviceextending through the central openings 25, 25", and 26 in the reedplates and the base plate and through corresponding holes in the cover`plates at the bottomsoit the depressions 19 and 20. See Figul for anenlarged view of this feature. instead of a rivet being employed, theparts are secured. together by means of the screw 27 which engages thespecial nut 28. Both of these parth have .bevelled heads engaging thecover plates tions are made in the cover plates to extend l into thoseot the reed plates as will be clearly seen by an inspection of F ig. 12.

It will be :tound advisable in practice to spring the cover plates alsoby a slight amount, thus ensuring their becoming properly seated.

l/Vhen my invention is put intopractice by others there will no doubt bemade some variations from the precise forms hereinabove described,without adeparture 'trom the spirit ot the appended claims. rihus in theform first described screws similar` to those of the second i'orm or oi"some other preferred form may be used in place ot therivets; or itdesired the second form may use a rivet or eyelet in place of the Itwill in other words be understood" that the description is by way otillustra-.

tion only and not by way of restriction to the precise details.

What I claim is 1. ln a device of the class described, the combinationof a base with a plane tace, a reed plate juxtaposed to it and sprungrelatively to it, that side tendingto beconcave being toward the base,and means engaging the reed plate substantially at its center securingthe two together.

2. In a device ot the class described, the combination ot a base havingtwo parallel plane faces, tworeed plates juxtaposed respectively tothese two faces, each ofthe reed plates being sprung relatively tothebase so that it tends to assume an arched shape con# cave toward thebase', and readily detachable means engaging-the reed platessubstantially at their centers and holding the plates in en-` gagementwiththe base throughout their lengths.

3. In a device ot the class described, the

lcombination ot'y a base having two parallel' plane tacos, two reedplates juxtaposed re-l spectively to these two faces, cachot the reedplates being` sprung relatively to the Aaceso that it tendsto assume anarched shape concave toward the base, and readily detachable meansengaging the reed vplates substantially at their centers and holding theplates in engagement with the base throughout their lengths, the basebeing provided with channels in itsfsurface, and the plates each havingan offset portion engaging a channel to lgeep them from turningrelatively to the ase.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base havingtwo parallel plane'faces, two reed plates juxtaposed respectively tothese faces, each of the reed plates being sprung relatively to the baseso that it tends to assume an arched shape concave toward the base, twocover plates engaging the reed plates on the sides away from the base,each cover plate being provided with a circular depresslon at its centerwhose bottom contacts with the reed plate, and means passing throughalined openings in the said depressions of the cover plates, in the reedplates and in the base securing them all together, and means on the reedplates and covers to keep them from turning relatively to the base or toeach other.

5. In a device of the class described the combination of a base having aplane face, a reed plate in contact with this face, a cover plate incontact with the free face of the reed plate along a line adjacent toits outer edge and raised from it at other points, said cover platehaving an offset portion at its center contacting with the reed plate.

6. A device 0f the class described comprising in combination a basehaving two parallel plane faces, two reed plates in contact respectivelywith these two faces, two

cover plates in contact respectively with the two free faces of the reedplates along a line adjacent to their outer edges, and raised from themat other points, said cover plates each having an offset portion at itscenter contacting with the reed plate.

7 A device of the class described comprising in combination a base, tworeed plates, and two cover plates, each of the cover plates having acentral circular depres sion, whereby` the device may be held with thethumb and a finger engaging the two depressions and readily turned intoany desired position.

8. In a device of the class described the combination of a base with twoHat parallel faces each having six chambers, those of one face lyingopposite those of the other, the four end chambers having channelsleading out to the ends of the base, the other chambers of both sidesopening alternately to the two edges of the base, and two reed platessecured to the parallel faces of the base, each bearing six reedscorresponding to the six chambers on that side of the base, the twelvereeds being tuned to sound the twelve notes of a chromatic scale.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this19th day of March A. D., 1920.

CHARLES H. CONGDON.

